Australian Magpies - how to NOT be divebombed!

Just waiting to make friends!

Like many others around Australia, visitors to the University of Southern Queensland often find themselves face-to-face with a magpie. Sooner or later, stories are told about magpies divebombing humans, but no one tells the visitors what to do or not do to avoid being attacked by a magpie.

It might seem that these are vicious birds, just looking for an excuse to attack. When it's breeding season and the babies are in the nest or just coming out and learning their way around, it seems that everyone who goes near a magpie family is being attacked. But what's this? Mum magpie led humans through the bush to show them her nest, and here's Dad bringing the baby out to show the humans on the baby's very first day out of the nest:

I have been privileged to make firm friendships with two families of magpies that live near our home, and they even go to the extent of leaving their babies with us when the adults want to go off finding food. Why the difference?

I haven't done any scientific studies of magpies, but getting to know some of them personally has its own perspective, and it seems to me that they are perfectly capable of deciding whether or not they trust the humans in their area. We feed our magpies, and although I have seen it repeated often that this encourages them to attack, I cannot locate any scientific study that says so, and in addition it doesn't make any sense. Why make an increased effort to get rid of humans who are helping you feed your babies?

My own observations of magpies convinces me of the following:

• Magpies are smart - very smart!
• They can assess other creatures in their environment and make individual decisions about how to react.
• If you give them a chance, they will try to communicate with you; your interaction progresses to a whole new level when they get the idea that you can be reasoned with, and are not mindlessly hostile.
• But some magpies, possibly as a result of too many disappointments, seem to 'chuck it all in' and declare humans to be enemies. But even here, it is possible that their minds can be changed if you care enough to try to do so.

Here at USQ, the problem is that the local magpies meet just far too many people, and dozens or hundreds of people have most likely shouted at, thrown rocks at, or otherwise threatened the local magpies. If anything, it is a wonder that almost all of the magpies near here still behave in a friendly way towards people. This factor will undoubtedly affect any attempt to make friends with the magpies around here. On the other hand, they do seem to be able to tell people apart, especially if you vocalise and talk to them in a musical way.

With that in mind, then, here are some suggestions. I can't guarantee that they will work, mind!

• Speak to a magpie. If you see one eyeing you suspiciously, look at it and speak friendly words in a bright, loud, musical voice.
• Make sense when you speak to it. Tell it what's on your mind: "I WON'T hurt your babies" - or whatever. They have a remarkable ability to understand body language, and putting your message in words helps you unconsciously to mould your tone of voice and your body so as to convey by body language the meaning you are saying in words.
• If you get divebombed, avoid flapping, swatting, and yelling. Hold your hand in front of your face for protection, but keep on trying to get through with communication. This is a hard thing for humans to do because they usually assume that every other animal on earth is incapable of any higher thought.
• I have no objection to trying a bit of food to get on a magpie's good side: they like grated cheese a lot. And as I said, they know enough to value the goose that lays the golden eggs.

If your problem is a magpie near your home, rather than a public one, you have extra chances to make friends. Look at a magpie in a tree or on the ground and call out to him; he'll know you're talking to him. Give him a name; they understand the concept of individual names and immediately respond in a personal way. If you manage to make him feel comfortable in your yard or visiting your house, he'll think of it as his too, and this has a very big advantage in Australia: protection from snakes! From my personal observations, I have found that once a local magpie thinks of you as a friend, he'll warn you of snakes nearby and even chase them out of your yard. This is also true of butcherbirds and noisy miners.

My private website on magpies has lots more information and photos to help you make up your own mind about these beautiful birds. See http://wingedhearts.org